A Hidden Spark
by RoseHG19
Summary: Merlin gets caught sneaking in early in the morning, acting suspicious, and with red marks on his neck. Merlin/Arthur Rated T for slight references and kissing. A/M Please Read & Review! (Part 2 coming)


**A/N: this is my first Merthur fanfiction, and only my second fanfiction over all (although my other is a multi-chapter) I really hope you enjoy this! Please READ & REVIEW. **

Merlin slowly makes for his room in the early morning light. His footsteps are light and soundless but from somewhere behind him he hears someone clearing their throat. Merlin jumps around only to be face-to-face with Gaius. Merlin smiles but Gaius raises a questioning eyebrow, "Where have you been? You haven't been here all day or all night."

Merlin's face falls, "I was just, eh, out." he smiles again to try and cover up his change of emotions.

"Then why is your shirt inside out?" Gaius fires another question at the raven haired boy.

Merlin looks down at his shirt realizing that he had in fact put on his shirt inside out in the hurry to get dressed, "Oh, well it's just a new style. Now," Merlin continues as he pushes past Gaius, "I am going to get some sleep before Arthur comes to give me my list of chores for tomorrow."

Merlin makes his way to his bedroom hoping that the conversation is now over. "Merlin, wait." Gaius speaks up. Merlin lets out a tired sigh but complies. Merlin looks at Gaius, waiting for him to continue, "Come here." Merlin walks over cautiously. "What's that on your neck?"

"What?"

"Your neck, Merlin." Gaius puts one of his hands on Merlin's neck, studying the red marks on it. "Merlin, tell me again where you have been?"

"That is for you to not figure out and for me to sleep on. Now, let me get the little sleep that I can before I have to get up." Merlin says with a smile and makes his way to his room, shutting the door before falling onto the bed with a huff. Soon the young warlock finds himself asleep with a smile on his face.

"Merlin!" A pounding, angry knock comes at Merlin's bedroom door. "Merlin, I'm coming in!" The door opens with a bang, and the soon-to-be king stands in the doorway. Merlin grabs his pillow and pulls it over his head trying to block out all the noise that Arthur was making. "Merlin, it's time to get out of bed. You have chores to do." Arthur says while throwing something at him, but it hits the pillow and rolls onto the floor.

"Merlin isn't here, go away!" Merlin grumbles from under the pillow. The door shuts but Merlin knows better than to think that Arthur has left. He hears the stealthy footsteps coming towards his bed, but Merlin doesn't move.

"What did you say to me?"

"Go away! I am tired!" Merlin raises his voice while throwing the pillow to the side, only to notice that Arthur is hovering inches away from his face, eyes darkening with anger. Merlin quickly adds, "Sire."

"Get up and come to my room with breakfast, we need to talk." Arthur says as he playfully hits Merlin over the head, with that Arthur leaves. Merlin looks at the door for a while but soon gets up and heads for the kitchen to pick up his lord's breakfast.

Merlin walks into Arthur's room carefully setting the tray of food on the table. The blond boy is looking out the window. His strong form cast in light. His features even more defined than usual, he looks like a king. Merlin finally finds his voice, disrupting the peace of the room. "I brought your breakfast, sire. Will that be all?"

Arthur turns to face the smaller brown haired boy, "No, I-" But his voice quickly fades out, his eyes moving past Merlin to the door behind him. Arthur quickly moves past Merlin and opens the door revealing Gaius.

"Gaius, what are you doing here?" The two boys speak at once. They glance at one another but then look back at Gaius.

"I was just coming to check on Merlin."

"Well I assure you that he is safe with me." Arthur says strongly.

Gaius nods, "Yes, of course my lord." with that he walks away. Arthur closes the door and looks at his servant.

"Care to explain?" Arthur questions Merlin.

"I went back to my room but Gaius was up and saw me come in." Merlin looks down at the floor.

"What else?" Merlin looks at Arthur innocently, "Oh come on, I know you aren't telling me something."

Merlin sighs, "He noticed the red marks on my neck. Which is not my fault" He points an accusing finger at Arthur who is trying to bite back his laughter. "It's not funny Arthur!"

"Oh lighten up Merlin, it's only Gaius." But Merlin just walks over to the window that Arthur had previously been at. Arthur sighs as he watches his brown haired boy stand at the window with his arms crossed. The light hitting him perfectly, giving his features a mysterious aura. His cheekbones are defined even more by the light. His blue eyes have grown darker and sadder as he looks over Camelot. Arthur can't help but stare at him in awe.

He walks over to Merlin. Never taking his eyes off of him, he wraps his arms around his servant's small waist. He feels Merlin relax ever so slightly under his touch, but he doesn't say anything. Arthur puts his head on Merlin's shoulder. But still Merlin doesn't move, he just stays exactly where he is, unmoving, his eyes fixed on the kingdom.

This time Arthur is the one to break the peace, "It's strange to look out, and think that one day I will rule this place."

Merlin states, "I understand, my lord." Arthur sighs, realizing that Merlin is being very formal with him right now. So, Arthur does what he feels is necessary to get his lover back to him.

He kisses Merlin's neck tenderly. Arthur hears him sigh under the touch of his lips. He moves his lips gracefully over Merlin's snow, white skin. Finally Merlin breaks, "Arthur-" he sighs.

Arthur stops, "Tell me what's wrong?"

"You can be such a prat sometimes."

"And you an idiot. But really, what is wrong?"

Merlin can see the concern in Arthur's eyes, "The thing with Gaius, I just have to have to keep this a secret from our friends. It's not fair to them and it's not fair to us. Arthur, please." Merlin begs Arthur with his eyes

"It's just my dad-"

"I understand that, I do! But we can still keep it from him! Like you said, one day you will rule this place and then you can change everything. You can be the great king I always knew you were destined to be." Arthur can't help but smile at Merlin. Arthur hasn't really ever had someone like Merlin in his life; someone who believes in him with their whole heart, someone who loves him unconditionally, someone who he always feels safe with no matter the situation, someone who Arthur is willing to do everything for, and who he is willing to die for without question.

"You always know what to say don't you Merlin?" Arthur leans in for a kiss but Merlin backs away slightly.

"First answer my question, can we tell our friends?"

"You know that we can trust them with anything." Merlin smiles at the blond. Arthur leans in again for a kiss but again Merlin backs away.

"What now?" Arthur says getting a bit irritated.

"There is something I haven't told you, something I haven't really told anyone." Arthur looks at Merlin, seeing that whatever Merlin is talking about is really eating him on the inside. Merlin walks away from Arthur and leans against the wall.

Arthur walks over to Merlin grabbing his hands, "You can trust me, and you know that you can. Nothing you can say will make me think of you any differently."

"I really doubt that." Tears start to form in Merlin's eyes.

Arthur puts his hand on Merlin's cheek, "Just tell me, it will help you."

Merlin closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "I have magic."

"What?"

"I'm a warlock Arthur! I can use magic. That's why I came to Camelot. That's why I am staying with Gaius!"

Arthur takes his hand off of Merlin and takes a step back, before bursting out in laughter, "You a sorcerer? Merlin, you are killing me. I know you're not a sorcerer; if you were you wouldn't be my servant."

"Well maybe I don't have a choice." Merlin mutters, but Arthur doesn't hear over his own fits of laughter.

"Fine, I will prove it!" Merlin shouts at the laughing blond. "Lumen Ignis!" Merlin's eyes turn amber, and then the drapes close on the windows and the candles all light. Then Merlin's eyes go back to the blue they usually are.

Merlin looks back at Arthur who has now stopped laughing. "Arthur?" Merlin asks, his voice shaking. Arthur's eyes are wide, and there is something in them that Merlin has never seen before. "Arthur, listen to me." Merlin says, trying to stay calm.

"You're a sorcerer!" Arthur yells, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't understand." Merlin says, closing his eyes. Arthur moves to a chair and sits down. Merlin follows closely behind, not done trying to explain, "The use of magic is against the law, with a penalty of death. We are already walking the line with our relationship, you being prince and I just being a servant." He stops and takes a breath before continuing, "For all I know you could have had me hanged. For all I know you still could have me hung." Arthur still doesn't say anything, "I wanted to tell you, I did, but it was too much of a risk and I didn't know if you would accept me."

Merlin looks to Arthur but Arthur just looks down at his hands. Merlin bites back his emotions, that are bubbling up, with a shaky sigh and starts to head for the door.

"Merlin," Arthur finally speaks, "I- I always knew there was something mysterious about you." Arthur gets up and move towards Merlin, who is still has his back turned. Arthur whispers into Merlin's ear, "I would never let you die, not if I could do anything about it."

Merlin turns to face the future king who is now smiling at him, "You can be such a prat, and you know that right?"

Arthur laughs, "And you can be an idiot, so I guess we even each other out then." Arthur pulls Merlin into a hug, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Merlin asks into Arthur's chest.

"For having to go through all that you have gone through, plus having to keep part of you a secret for this whole time. I'm also sorry that you thought that I would ever have you hung because of this. I'm sorry I led you to think that."

"Yes, you really should be sorry." Merlin laughs, breaking away from Arthur's grasp. He then walks over to Arthur's bed and starts to make it.

"What do you think you are doing?" Arthur questions, sitting down on the bed that Merlin was just trying to make.

"My job!" He protests.

"Your job is to do what I say, I never told you to do any work."

"What are you going to do about it then?" the raven haired boy challenges the blond.

The blond stands up, blue eyes connecting with one another, Arthur leans in for the kiss. It starts off soft, but soon both of them become greedy for the others taste. Arthur leads Merlin the short distance to the bed.

"I just made this bed, Arthur Pendragon." Merlin growls.

"Shut up, Merlin." Arthur says continuing the kiss. Arthur's hands moving under Merlin's shirt, Merlin lets out a moan of pleasure under his lover's touch.

"My lord?" The two boys jump away from each other. Gaius stands at the door, "Your father has requested your presence."

"Thank you, Gaius." Arthur says coughing, "Merlin, I only need you to clean my room today."

"Yes, sire." Merlin smiles as Arthur leaves the room.

"So you want to tell me again where you were last night?" Gaius raises his eyebrow. Merlin just laughs, and goes to do his chores for the day, awaiting the arrival of his love.

A/N: oh, how I ship Merthur with a BURNING passion! I hope you enjoyed! please review, thanks!


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